You
Caroline Kepnes’ You has long had a reputation among thriller fans, but its popularity exploded following the recent release of the Netflix series based on it. You is a thriller novel that follows bookstore employee Joe Goldberg as he runs into a young woman named Guinevere Beck—and proceeds to look her up online and stalk her. As he begins to form a bond with Beck, convincing her that he’s the perfect man, Goldberg begins to remove anything standing in the way of their relationship—even resorting to murder when necessary.
The Netflix adaptation of You sticks closely to this premise, with actor Penn Badgley walking the line between creepy stalker and charming love interest well enough to give any viewer the creeps. In fact, Badgley’s interpretation of Goldberg is so spot on that many viewers have even found themselves charmed by his character—despite knowing that he’s a stalker and a murderer.
Not only does the show do a great job at making viewers conscious of the fact that anyone can be dangerous, but it also highlights the downsides of having all of our information so readily available on the internet. This is another theme of the novel, and the show makes sure to touch on it.
The series also does a great job when it comes to capturing the novel’s eerie second-person narrative that earned it its title. The book speaks to the reader in second person, forcing them to put themselves inside of Goldberg’s disturbing mind. The adaptation manages this using Goldberg’s voiceovers to place viewers firmly in his perspective. And man, is the show even creepier without them.
Naturally, the Netflix series does alter the story somewhat, particularly when it comes to the inclusion of Paco’s character and the ending. But given that Netflix’s You does keep the important components of the book intact, it’s safe to say that it’s a successful adaptation.
What’s your favorite book adaptation?